Easy Matzo Balls | Kids Can Make Matzo Ball Soup

Nothing beats a bowl of hot, steaming chicken soup filled with matzo balls for a cold winter day or a holiday meal. In my house, matzo ball soup is reserved for Passover, but plenty of people love to eat matzo balls year-round. They're super easy to make, but some people don't like to stick their hands in the matzo ball batter to shape the balls. Here's where the kids come in.

Kids have a special love for squishing stuff between their fingers, be it Play-doh, modeling clay, raw meatloaf, or -- you guessed it -- matzo ball batter. What better way to get them to help make dinner than give them the yuckiest, messiest task? And what's more, they'll love every minute of it.

All of these ingredients are kosher for Passover, but you can make matzo ball soup at any time of the year. | Source

Ingredients

4 eggs

1/2 c water

1/3 c oil

1 c matzo meal

salt

pepper

chicken broth

1 carrot (optional)

Cook Time

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 30 min

Ready in: 1 hour

Yields: 12 two-inch matzo balls

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Prepare the Eggs

1. Have your kids crack four eggs into a large bowl. Check them carefully for shell pieces before your kids beat them! Add the water and oil, and mix together. A fork works better than a whisk; you don't want to add too much air, unless you prefer floaters. (We like the sinkers in our house.)

Mix the salt and pepper into the wet ingredients before you add the matzo meal, so you don't overmix the batter. | Source

Add Seasonings

2. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you allow your child to add the pepper, you may end up with more than you planned in your batter. That's okay! It's nearly impossible to ruin these, as long as you like pepper. One year I literally lost the top of the pepper shaker into the batter and poured a ridiculous amount of pepper in after it. I scooped out as much as I could without losing any of the egg, but I was left with matzo balls that were distinctly gray from the pepper. No matter -- they were still delicious! Quite frankly, we were all amazed. (Salt is a different story -- better to use too little than too much. You can always add salt at the table.)

Stir only until the matzo meal is combined with the egg. | Source

Mix in the Matzo Meal

3. Pour the matzo meal into the egg mixture and gently combine. You may want to do this yourself, because if your kids stir vigorously or for a long time, the matzo balls will toughen up and become too dense.

Here's what the matzo ball batter looks like when it's ready to refrigerate. | Source

Now You Have Matzo Meal Batter

4. Once the batter comes together, cover it and refrigerate it for at least 20 minutes. Longer is better, if you have the time. For instance, if you have a preschooler who still naps, have him help you measure and mix the batter after lunch, and then refrigerate it during his nap. Two or three hours in the fridge is fine.

The chicken broth powder I used made the water look scummy, but it was fine, really. | Source

Put Your Broth on to Boil

5. Before you call your kids back to do the messy stuff, fill a large pot and set it to boil. Put in chicken broth powder or bouillon cubes to add some flavor. DO NOT use your actual chicken soup, because the matzo balls will suck it up and leave none for eating. If you have one available, add a carrot for additional flavor.

Make the Matzo Balls by Hand

6. Now for the best part -- letting your kids get their hands messy! Have them wash their hands thoroughly and then wet them again with cold water so the batter doesn't stick as much. They should then make golf ball-sized balls and put them onto a plate for you to transfer to the boiling broth. The matzo balls will all be different sizes and shapes that only a mother would consider spherical, but they'll still be delicious.

Getting their hands messy making matzo balls | Source

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Boil the Matzo Balls

7. Boil them uncovered for half an hour. They'll pop up to the surface after a few minutes, but they're not done yet. Push them back under every so often, especially if the pot is crowded.

Eat Your Matzo Balls With Chicken Soup

8. Finally, drain the broth away. Heat up some real chicken soup, throw your fresh matzo balls in, and let your whole family enjoy (after your kids wash their hands again!). If you don't have any good chicken soup on hand, boil up a fresh pot of broth and slice up the carrot you cooked the matzo balls with and toss it in. Also delicious!

The matzo balls stay good in the fridge for several days if you store them in an airtight container (not in with the soup). I have been told that you can also freeze them if need be by laying them out (not touching!) on a wax-paper-covered cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, peel them off the paper and stick them in a freezer bag.

Comments

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Brainy Bunny 5 years agofrom Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Thank you, kidscrafts. My daughter is learning fractions in school right now, and she was excited to put that knowledge to practical use with the measuring cups. Happy Earth Day to you too.

kidscrafts 5 years agofrom Ottawa, Canada

Good idea! I think it's so important to cook with kids. They learn so many things throug cooking...and they have fun doing it! Check my hub...I have a nice recipe that you can do with your kids tomorrow...for Earth Day!

Voted up, useful and interesting :-)

Author

Brainy Bunny 5 years agofrom Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Good Lady: Making matzo balls with your 2-year-old granddaughter will be lots of fun. If you're not sure you can find matzo meal there, buy some wherever you are and bring it along -- it'll be on sale right now, since Passover is over!

Penelope Hart 5 years agofrom Rome, Italy

I'm going to make this soup with my 2 year old granddaughter next week when I visit. Thanks so much! You made it sound so fun - and easy. (Not sure if they sell Matzo meal in Milano, Italy. Will shop around)

Great looking, fun feeling Hub. Thanks.

Looking forward to getting to know you more now!

Author

Brainy Bunny 5 years agofrom Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Anytime you want to borrow my kids, go right ahead! ;-)

Matzo balls are delicious, and if you don't have any kids who want to get their hands dirty, grab an ice cream scoop from your drawer and scoop them right into the pot that way. They come out beautifully round that way. Use one that has a squeeze handle, and don't use one that's too big -- I once used a 3-inch scoop, and my matzo balls swelled up like cantaloupes. A 2-inch scoop is great.

Marcy Goodfleisch 5 years agofrom Planet Earth

These are great instructions - so easy to follow, and you've already second-guessed and preempted some of the questions we might have or things we could do wrong. This sounds delicious, and I want to try it. My kids are grown; maybe I can borrow a few just for the fun of it! Voted up, useful and interesting.

Author

Brainy Bunny 5 years agofrom Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Ahhahahahaha! That joke gets me every time. ;-)

And yes, handmade matzo balls taste even more delicious (just as delicious as the children who made them!).

tccat 5 years ago

I like when they come out less round and more uneven. It's hamish.

Hey, when you serve these don't forget about to tell the story of the Texan who ate these for the first time: "So what other part of the matzah do you cook?" ;^)

Author

Brainy Bunny 5 years agofrom Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania

Thanks, Maddie. It's easy to make the matzo balls, and what's more -- you can actually put them into other kids of soup than chicken. For instance, if you're a vegetarian, you can put them in a fresh vegetable soup.

Maddie Ruud 5 years agofrom Oakland, CA

I LOVE matzo ball soup, but I've never attempted to make it myself. I can't wait to try your recipe!